As requested by the World Heritage Committee, the State Party submitted to the World Heritage Centre on 5 February 2008 the state of conservation report which only partially responds to the requests made by the World Heritage Committee.

The State Party informed that significant progress had been achieved in implementing the decisions by the World Heritage Committee, in particular the implementation of technical preparatory work for restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration, as well as the reinforcement of risk preparedness measures. The first pilot restoration works have started by the Kizhi Museum Reserve Direction in compliance with the request by the World Heritage Committee.

However, in the Explanatory Note annexed to the State Party report, the Director of the Kizhi Museum Reserve underlined that, at this stage, the complete restoration works cannot be started without clearly designated delegated administrative and executive authority for this project, although the World Heritage Committee requested at its 31st session (Christchurch, 2007) that the State Party start immediately with the repair and restoration works of the Church of Transfiguration.

The World Heritage Centre noted that the report was prepared by the Directorate of the Kizhi Museum Reserve. As site manager, the Director provided very detailed and complete information on its activities concerning this World Heritage property, including environmental and landscape issues.

The information requested by the World Heritage Committee, which is missing in the State Party report (e.g. draft of the integrated management plan for Kizhi Pogost; maps indicating the boundaries of the World Heritage property and its buffer zone), should be provided by the Federal authorities. It seems that they are still not actively involved in the process concerning the restoration works or the preparation and implementation of a comprehensive management plan for this World Heritage property, which should include tourism development, an overall vision for the site as well as clear boundary and buffer zone definition (including its eventual revision).

The World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS underline the importance of the participation of all stakeholders concerned at all levels to the process of the safeguarding, protection and management of the World Heritage property, as well as the preparation of the state of conservation reports requested by the World Heritage Committee. Taking into account the importance and difficulties of the restoration works of the Church of the Transfiguration, as well as specificities of the fluvial tourism development the State Party could be invited to create a Special State Committee or Group with two commissions, one in charge of the restoration works, other of the management and tourism development issues.

Analysis and Conclusions of the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and ICCROM

3. Urges the State Party to start immediately with the repair and restoration works of the Church of Transfiguration;

4. Notes the continuous efforts by the Directorate of the Kizhi Museum Reserve in the management of the World Heritage property, which represents a small part of the territory of the Reserve and encourages the site management to continue its work towards an integrated management plan for the property;

5. Also urges the State Party to urgently confirm the implementation of the necessary administrative arrangements concerning the delegation of authorities for the restoration works, as well as the funds made available for restoration works for the duration of the project;

6. Invites the State Party to establish a Special State Group in charge of effective coordination, in close collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, of the implementation of the World Heritage Committee's decisions and the recommendations by the Reactive Monitoring missions concerning this property;

7. Requests the State Party, in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, to prepare a draft Statement of Outstanding Universal Value, including the conditions of integrity and authenticity, for the consideration by the World Heritage Committee at its 33d session in 2009;

8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2009, a progress report on all issues mentioned above, including the following documents:

a) detailed progress report of the restoration works;

b) three printed and electronic copies of the draft integrated management plan for Kizhi Pogost including a tourism strategy, risk preparedness measures and maps indicating the boundaries of the World Heritage property and its buffer zone;

c) revised and approved documents concerning protected areas of the Kizhi Museum Reserve including the boundaries of the property and its buffer zone;

for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 33rd session in 2009, with a view to considering, in the absence of substantial progress, the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.